Police tape still wraps a mailbox in the 2900 block of 68th Avenue in the Scotlandville neighborhood of Baton Rouge after a fatal shooting occurred on the premises on Saturday (Dec. 22). Two LSU student-athletes were taken in for questioning in connection to the shooting.

LSU sophomore running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and freshman linebacker Jared Small attempted to sell an electronic item in Scotlandville when police say Kobe Johnson, 18, attempted to rob them Saturday (Dec. 22), according to a press release the Baton Rouge Police Department sent out early Sunday (Dec. 23).

Johnson pulled out a gun and demanded their belongings, police said, and one of the student-athletes pulled out another handgun and shot Johnson more than one time, according to the release. Johnson, who was not an LSU student-athlete, died at the scene. The press release did not make clear which student shot Johnson, nor what the electronic item was the pair was attempting to sell.

The shooting happened inside a white Chevrolet Silverado and Johnson was in the rear passenger seat, Baton Rouge police spokesman Sgt. L’Jean McKneely told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune on Sunday. Edwards-Helaire and Small were in the front seats of the truck, but McKneely could not clarify which of the two was in the driver’s seat.

Edwards-Helaire and Small called police to report the shooting around noon. The pair stayed at the scene — the 2900 block of 68th Avenue — until police arrived, McKneely said.

According to McKneely, the student-athletes did not know Johnson and only met him to conduct the sale of the electronic device. McKneely was unaware of the type of device the student-athletes were trying to sell, and he also did not know which of the two student-athletes owned the device.

“At least two” handguns were recovered from the scene, and none of the guns present had been reported stolen, McKneely said

Edwards-Helaire and Small were released from police questioning Saturday evening without arrest after they had been detained for several hours following the shooting.

The evidence BRPD has, McKneely told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune on Sunday, is leaning toward a “justifiable shooting”, but the investigation is still ongoing. There is no timetable for completing the investigation, McKneely said Sunday.

Christopher Murrell, an attorney representing Edwards-Helaire and Small, said Saturday he believes his clients acted in self-defense, according to The Advocate.

LSU confirmed Saturday afternoon that the two people involved in the shooting were student-athletes, but did not confirm their identities.

“We have today been in constant contact with law enforcement regarding this terrible situation,” LSU Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Joe Alleva said in a statement released Saturday afternoon. “Right now, our concern is for the safety and well-being of our student athletes. They have been involved in a traumatic incident and we have made our counselors available to assist immediately."

Edwards-Helaire is one of LSU’s two top running backs this season and has rushed for 626 yards and seven touchdowns in his sophomore campaign. He has played in all 12 of LSU’s games.

Small has played in four games this season, but has not recorded any statistics.

Edwards-Helaire and Small are Baton Rouge natives who both attended Catholic High.

The Tigers will play Central Florida in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

Note: This story has been updated from the original with additional comments from BRPD spokesman L’Jean McKneely.